Students in 2nd grade are currently involved in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) unit focused on hand pollinators. The students read a story about a young girl from the Dominican Republic who was having problems with her ohelo flower, a flower from Hawaii that was given to her by a friend. The flower used to produce delicious berries but then stopped for an unknown reason. After some scientific investigation the girl discovered that there were no natural pollinators for her flower in the Dominican Republic so she set about building a hand pollinator.
At this time the students are examining materials that they can use to build their hand pollinators to look at the properties of these materials and to determine which materials will work best. In the next few weeks the students will test these materials and eventually build their very own pollinators. Finally they will test the pollinators and make changes as needed to improve their designs. Be sure to ask your 2nd grader about building hand pollinators!
At this time the students are examining materials that they can use to build their hand pollinators to look at the properties of these materials and to determine which materials will work best. In the next few weeks the students will test these materials and eventually build their very own pollinators. Finally they will test the pollinators and make changes as needed to improve their designs. Be sure to ask your 2nd grader about building hand pollinators!